Heralding spring, haiku signs pop up across part of Northwest D.C.

For the sixth straight year, the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID), which includes segments of Dupont Circle, downtown, and Foggy Bottom, has installed dozens of haiku signs in tree boxes on sidewalks within the designated BID area to ring in the spring.

The BID includes 43 blocks and recently held its annual haiku contest. After receiving about 2,000 submissions from 50 countries, 41 states, and D.C., the group announced the winners (selected by a panel) this week. The first place submission, by Paul Chambers, follows below:

“For the contest’s purposes, the Golden Triangle [BID] uses the Haiku Society of America’s guidelines for contemporary haiku,” the BID notes in a release. “This means that although participants can adhere to the familiar 5-7-5 syllable rule, it is not required. Haiku are meant to be short, breezy poems that evoke an image in the reader’s mind.” The signs will remain up through April and number more than 300. Chime in with your favorites in the comments.